day 8

If it wouldn't have been for Chicago, I...

I wouldn't have learned how glorious food is.
I also wouldn't be contently running marathons to burn it all off, but that's not important in this moment.

Can I tell you a little story?

I am 18 years old, the freshest you can get as a freshman, and I am downtown at Billy Goat’s Tavern with a group of friends.
If you have watched this SNL skit... this is the "Cheezbourger Cheezbourger Cheezbourger" place — "Chips, no fries."

My friends are telling me they've been to this place before, and you cannot order anything else but a cheeseburger (I have learned this is not quite true depending on who's working). Do not ask for any substitutions. No questions. Just a double cheeseburger.

I. Am. Horrified.

I have never had a cheeseburger!! (Dun dun dunnn)

So I suck it up (being the naive 18-year-old Yooper I am) and order a Double Cheeseburger, Vitners Chips, and a Root Beer.
No hesitation, no questions.

I sit down with my meal and confess to my friends I've never had a cheeseburger.
I take a bite.

It is GLORIOUS.
Who would have thought that cheese on a hamburger could be such a great idea!?

Flash forward to today: my meals today consisted of Salmon Dill Quiche from Tre Kroner for breakfast and Crunch Shrimp, Crunchy Spicy Tuna, and Cucumber Salad from my favorite sushi place, Dib.

Things that I have tried that I hadn’t tried then are: mustard, peanut butter and jelly, and pretty much any Mexican food.

If you were to tell anyone these days that I used to be the pickiest eater on the planet, I doubt they'd believe you.

Heck, I used to eat plain spaghetti noodles with salt on them for dinner because I was “tired” of spaghetti sauce.

Chicago, if it wasn't for you... this blog wouldn't exist.

I wouldn't be so eager to try to recreate my favorite dishes in my kitchen.
Hummus, falafel, sushi, vegan dishes, homemade pizzas, cookies, cupcakes, pastas, sushi, even Chicago-style hotdogs wouldn't be on my personal menu of creations if it wasn't for Chicago.

I wouldn't know what a Sprinkles cupcake tastes like.
I wouldn't know what it's like to dine in a four-star restaurant.
I wouldn't know what good food tastes like.
I wouldn't know how to appreciate exploring other cities for tiny “special” places like the ones I have found here.

Chicago — thank you for your restaurants.

Echoing my post from yesterday, if it wasn't for the variety and bounty of eateries in this city, I wouldn't know half the people I'm friends with.
I wouldn't share meals with them at our favorite places.
I wouldn't have dared try anything new if it wasn't for the people I've eaten out with over the years.

A toast to you, Chicago.
I promise I will bring my “foodiness” to the East Coast to teach it a thing or two.